Kuala Lumpur, May 25 (IANS) Kidambi Srikanth suffered a loss in the final of the Malaysia Open 2025, losing 11-21, 9-21 to China’s Li Shi Feng in just 36 minutes on Sunday.Despite a strong run through the tournament, Srikanth was unable to mount any real challenge in the title clash. The 32-year-old Indian had reached his first BWF final in nearly six years, having last finished runner-up at the India Open in 2019.“It has been a pretty good week. It’s my third tournament. I played decently well in the first two as well, but couldn’t really win those matches. But pretty happy with the way it went so far,” Srikanth said after the match.“Not exactly the way I wanted to be today, but still, I think he (Feng) played well. I’m just very happy to be back playing again. I just want to keep myself happy. There was a point in my career where I was pretty used to being standing there, and then it’s been a while,” Srikanth added.In the semi-final, he overcame Japan’s World No. 23 Yushi Tanaka in straight games, 21-18, 24-22, on Saturday.Srikanth, once a dominant force in men’s singles, made history in 2017 by becoming the first Indian to win four BWF titles in a calendar year -clinching the Indonesia Open, Australian Open, Denmark Open, and French Open. The following year, he played a pivotal role in India’s gold medal triumph in the team event at the Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast.In this year’s Malaysia Masters, Srikanth had to come through the qualifying rounds before defeating Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen in the Round of 16. He then edged past France’s Toma Junior Popov in a tightly contested quarter-final, 24-22, 17-21, 22-20, and cruised past Tanaka in the semis.However, the final proved a step too far as Li Shi Feng, who claimed his first BWF title of 2025 following last year’s Japan Masters win, proved too strong.Once ranked among the world’s best, Srikanth has been struggling in recent years. He missed out on the Tokyo Olympics due to injury and the cancellation of qualifiers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Persistent ankle injuries have since hampered his consistency, and he had slipped to World No. 65 earlier this month.Srikanth was also part of India’s historic Thomas Cup victory in 2022 in Bangkok, where he helped secure the team gold.–IANSab/

Ahmedabad, May 25 (IANS) Chennai Super Kings have won the toss and opted to bat first against Gujarat Titans in match 67 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. While Chennai Super Kings were the first team to be eliminated from the playoffs contention, they could play spoilsport for Gujarat Titans, who would be eyeing to seal the top spot in the table with a win. With nothing to lose for the MS Dhoni-led side, probably captaining CSK for the last time, urged his team to enjoy their cricket and confirmed Ravichandran Ashwin is making way for Deepak Hooda in the playing XI. “It looks nice and hard, will remain the same. It’s quite hot, and looks like a good track. It’s surviving. Every year is a new challenge. It needs a lot of maintenance. Didn’t trouble me enough when I was playing international cricket. Chennai is very nice, this is different heat, on the slower side. We are last in the table, we will still remain last, if we win or lose. Need to enjoy our cricket. We have one change. Hooda is back. They are a good side, they play authentic cricket. Need to bowl tight lines,” said CSK captain Dhoni at the toss. His counterpart on the day is none other than newly-appointed India Test skipper Shubman Gill who acknowledged the challenge that awaits India in England following the conclusion of the IPL. GT too made one change with Gerald Coetzee coming in place of Kagiso Rabada. “Feels exciting to have that (captaincy) challenge, it’s going to be an exciting series against England for us. In the last match we were in the game till the 16th or 17th over. We were looking to bowl first today anyway. Looks a good wicket to bat on, it won’t change much,” said Gill. Playing XIsGujarat Titans: Shubman Gill(c), Jos Buttler(wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Gerald Coetzee, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj, Arshad Khan, Prasidh Krishna.Impact Substitutes: Sai Sudharsan, Anuj Rawat, Mahipal Lomror, Washington Sundar, Ishant Sharma.Chennai Super Kings: Ayush Mhatre, Devon Conway, Urvil Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Deepak Hooda, MS Dhoni(wk/c), Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed.Impact Substitutes: Matheesha Pathirana, Vijay Shankar, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Ravichandran Ashwin.–IANSaaa/ab

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar backed table toppers Gujarat Titans to finish in the top-two spot of the IPL 2025 standings.Currently, Gujarat Titans are placed at the top spot with 18 points in 13 matches while Punjab Kings (17 points), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (17 points) and Mumbai Indians (16 points) sit at second, third and fourth respectively. All four teams have already secured playoffs berth and are fighting for the top-two spot.With only one game remaining against Chennai Super Kings, GT have to win the clash to confirm the top spot.”I think Gujarat Titans might be the first team to secure a top-two spot. They’ve only dropped one game, which could be just what they need to recharge and come back stronger in the next match,” Manjrekar said on JioHotstar.RCB and PBKS lost their penultimate games to Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals respectively to dent their top-two finish hopes.Manjrekar hailed Sameer Rizvi’s mature knock under pressure for Delhi Capitals against Punjab Kings.“He’s coming of age, like many young Indian players this season. It hasn’t been about the big names — this IPL has belonged to the younger lot. What stood out in this innings was how he dominated spin and found ways to score against quality bowlers like Marco Jansen and Arshdeep Singh. And this was a proper chase — there wasn’t any advantage from dew, which can sometimes make it feel like you’re already 20 runs ahead. That wasn’t the case, and if not for Rizvi, I don’t think Delhi Capitals would’ve pulled it off.”Manjrekar observed how IPL 2025 has been defined by Gen Bold players and lauded youngsters like Priyansh Arya and Vaibhav Suryavanshi for their breakout season.”The big takeaway for me this IPL is the emergence of lesser-known players making a huge impact — names like Sameer Rizvi, Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Naman Dhir, Priyansh Arya, and Prabhsimran Singh. There’s even a 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi in the mix. It’s been their IPL, more than the big iconic names. Those stars are fading, and these young players are taking centre stage — that’s been the story so far.–IANSab/

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) The Indian junior women’s hockey team began its friendly Four Nations Tournament on a positive note with a 2-1 win over Chile in Rosario, Argentina on May 25. Sukhveer Kaur (39’) and Kanika Siwach (58’) were the goalscorers for India. Javeria Saenz (20′) scored the only goal for Chile.Chile’s Javeria Saenz broke the deadlock in the 20th minute to give her side a slim lead heading into the second half. India however, promptly replied with an equalising goal in the third quarter courtesy of Sukhveer Kaur in the 39th minute.In the dying minutes of the match, Kanika Siwach scored the winning goal in the 58th minute to ensure India’s victory. The team will next play against Uruguay on May 26 (as per IST).Speaking about the importance of the friendly matches, Indian junior women’s hockey team coach Tushar Khandker had said, “We are preparing for the Junior World Cup later this year, and since the tour to Rosario is a Four Nations tournament, we are looking to identify the best of the best from this squad with the World Cup in mind. Our aim is to gain as much experience as possible and assess where we stand based on past performances to understand how much we have improved.”When asked about the opposition teams, Khandker added, “Whenever you play an international match – be it a tour, bilateral series, test match, or tournament – you are representing India. So, the objective is always to give your best and perform to your full potential, regardless of the opponent. Our main focus in this tournament will be to execute our strategies effectively and give the girls as many match opportunities as possible, so they can gain the experience and confidence needed ahead of the Junior World Cup.”–IANSab/

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed the Khelo India Youth Games 2025, recently hosted in Bihar, as a “big hit” and a testament to India’s rising sporting spirit. He highlighted the record-breaking performances and the growing global recognition of the nation’s young athletes.Addressing the 122nd episode of his monthly radio programme, Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister said, “Recently, Khelo India Games were a big hit. Five cities of Bihar hosted the Khelo India games. Matches of different categories were held there. The number of athletes who reached there from all over India was more than 5,000. These athletes have praised the Sporting Spirit of Bihar and the warmth shown by the people of Bihar.”He noted that this edition marked a new milestone for Indian sports on the global stage.”The land of Bihar is very special. Many unique things happened here in this event. This was the first edition of the Khelo India Youth Games, which reached the whole world through the Olympic channel. People from all over the world saw and appreciated the talent of our young players. I congratulate all the medal winners, especially the top three winners — Maharashtra, Haryana and Rajasthan,” PM Modi said.Highlighting the outstanding performances, he mentioned, “A total of 26 records were made in Khelo India this time. In the Weight Lifting competitions, the brilliant performances of Asmita Dhone of Maharashtra, Harshvardhan Sahu of Odisha and Tushar Chaudhary of Uttar Pradesh won everyone’s heart. Sairaj Pardesi of Maharashtra went on to create three records.”He also praised the athletes who participated in various athletics events, adding, “In athletics, Qadir Khan and Sheikh Zeeshan of Uttar Pradesh and Hansraj of Rajasthan performed brilliantly. This time, Bihar also won 36 medals.”Emphasising the role of such tournaments in nurturing young talent, he said, “The one who plays, blooms. The tournament holds great significance for Young Sporting Talent. Such events will further enhance the future of Indian sports.”–IANSsd/dpb

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) Veteran India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes newly-appointed Test captain Shubman Gill shouldn’t change his batting approach on the upcoming five-match tour of England, starting on June 20.But at the same time, Pujara, who’s played 16 Tests in England and featured extensively in county cricket, feels Gill has to gain an understanding of the shots he can play as per various situations and conditions on offer in what is also the right-handed batter’s first full-time tour of England.On Saturday, Gill was appointed as India’s 37th Test captain following Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the format and his first assignment will be the tour of England, which also marks the side’s first series in the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle.“Well, on his batting approach, I would say that it’s not going to change and it shouldn’t change. He has to bat the way he bats in the Test format. He is an aggressive player. He likes to play his shots. So, I would say that he has to continue playing his shots.”“But at the same time, he needs to understand when he can play shots, what kind of shots he can play in English conditions, what kind of shots he has to play and who is the right bowler to take on. So, those are the things I am sure he will try and assess, as well as he will try and understand that,” said Pujara, a veteran of 103 Tests, to IANS in a virtual call organised by Sony Sports Network, the official broadcasters of India tour of England.Gill’s experience of playing Tests in England hasn’t been extensive – featuring in two WTC finals in 2021 and 2023, and playing the rescheduled fifth Test from the 2021 tour at Birmingham in July 2022. He also had a short county stint with Glamorgan, but with his away average in Tests standing at just 27.53 as compared to 42.03 at home, Gill has to work his way out as a batter in overseas Tests, now that he’s entrusted with the leadership duties.Apart from how he deals with the inswingers in England, how Gill maturely deals with tough batting situations will also be keenly witnessed – irrespective of whether he bats at number three or four. For example, in the Sydney Test against Australia held earlier this year, Gill had come back into the playing eleven after Rohit stood himself down for the game.In that game, Gill’s manner of dismissals – dancing down the pitch and being stumped and caught behind by keeper off Nathan Lyon and Beau Webster respectively – had left many baffled. Moreover in England, Gill has to tighten up his defence against pace and see off the new Dukes ball before aiming to unleash his strokeplay in a measured manner.“When he goes to England, and when he starts his preparation, he will understand that these are the shots which he can play while the ball is new. Plus, there are some shots which you need to avoid when the ball is new, and it’s swinging or seaming around a bit. I would say it’s very similar to what you get in Australia where the ball does a bit more for first 25-30 overs and then it settles down a bit.”“So, once the ball gets old, you as a batter, you can play a few more shots. But if he is batting at number 3 or 4 and if he bats in first and India loses one or two wickets early on, then he might have to change his game a bit. He is capable enough to do that, and once he goes there, I am sure he will understand what he has to do,” concluded Pujara.–IANSnr/ab

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) India’s newly-appointed Test captain Shubman Gill said that the opportunity…

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pacer Josh Hazlewood has rejoined the squad after recovering from a shoulder injury ahead of their final league game and the IPL 2025 playoffs.Hazlewood, RCB’s leading wicket-taker this season with 18 scalps from just 10 matches, had been out of action since April 27. He returned to Australia during the IPL’s brief suspension following cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan.He completed rehab at home and resumed training in Brisbane as part of Australia’s preparation for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa. Having come through those sessions successfully, he is now back with the RCB squad.RCB have already qualified for the playoffs but took a hit in their quest for a top-two finish after losing a high-scoring thriller to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Friday. Hazlewood’s return is timely, as a top-two finish would offer them the cushion of two chances to reach the final.Former India coach Anil Kumble highlighted the advantage RCB hold after Hazlewood’s addition.”The good thing for RCB is that they will play the last game and they will know exactly where they stand and what they need to do,” he said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out.Despite his recent absence, Hazlewood remains the fourth-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2025. His 18 wickets have come at an average of 17.27 and an economy rate of 8.44, underscoring his importance across all phases of the innings. Behind him for RCB are left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya with 15 wickets and pacer Yash Dayal with 10.In Hazlewood’s absence, Lungi Ngidi was given a run but struggled to replicate the Australian’s impact. Ngidi will be unavailable for the playoffs due to international duties with South Africa. Nuwan Thushara hasn’t featured yet this season, and while Blessing Muzarabani has been signed as a replacement, his limited experience at this level makes Hazlewood’s return all the more vital.This IPL season marked Hazlewood’s comeback after an injury-riddled home summer in which he missed several fixtures due to a calf strain and a side injury. These setbacks had kept him out of the third Test against India, the tour of Sri Lanka, and the Champions Trophy. However, he’s now in strong contention to start in the WTC final, likely replacing Scott Boland after narrowly missing the 2023 final against India due to injury.–IANSab/

Berlin, May 25 (IANS) VfB Stuttgart lifted the German Cup for the fourth time after defeating third-tier champions Arminia Bielefeld 4-2 in the final here on Saturday.Despite Bielefeld’s remarkable run to the final, which included knocking out four Bundesliga sides, Stuttgart showed its top-flight quality when it mattered most.The underdogs almost took the lead after just 12 minutes when Noah Sarenren Bazee hit the crossbar from close range, reports Xinhua.Stuttgart responded ruthlessly, as Nick Woltemade opened the scoring three minutes later with a composed finish following a clever pass from Angelo Stiller.Soon after, a defensive mix-up allowed Deniz Undav to burst through and unselfishly set up Enzo Millot to make it 2-0.When Undav converted Stiller’s second assist of the night to make it 3-0 before halftime, the result seemed beyond doubt.Millot grabbed his second midway through the second half, pouncing on a misplaced pass from Louis Oppie to curl in a fourth.But Bielefeld refused to go down without a fight. Substitute Julian Kania reduced the deficit in the 82nd minute with a neat finish, and Josha Vagnoman’s own goal three minutes later gave Bielefeld hope of an unlikely comeback.However, goalkeeper Alexander Nubel’s late save denied Joel Felix a third goal, and Stuttgart held firm to secure victory.”It’s hard to put into words. I’m absolutely overjoyed with this win,” said Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeness.”In a game like this, anything can happen. In the end, we had to dig deep once more. Huge credit to my players and to Bielefeld, a team that simply never gives up. It’s been a long time since Stuttgart won a trophy, which makes this moment more special.”Stuttgart will compete in next season’s UEFA Europa League. For Bielefeld, the final capped a memorable season which included promotion and a historic Cup run.”The opponent punished our mistakes mercilessly within ten minutes. Still, I’m incredibly proud of my team. Even though the disappointment prevails right now, we have had a fantastic Cup run and a great season,” said Arminia Bielefeld coach Michel Kniat.–IANSab/

Wembley, May 25 (IANS) Sunderland pulled off a stunning comeback to defeat Sheffield United 2-1 in the Championship playoff final, with substitute Tom Watson netting a dramatic stoppage-time winner at Wembley on Saturday to secure their return to the Premier League.The 19-year-old winger fired a superb low shot from outside the box, sealing Sunderland’s promotion after eight seasons away from the top flight—a period that included time in League One. The victory, widely considered the most lucrative in football, is set to earn the club an estimated £220 million thanks to the Premier League’s massive TV deals.But for the jubilant Sunderland fans, the financial rewards were a distant thought as Watson’s goal triggered wild celebrations. It was a heartbreaking end for Sheffield United, who had finished 14 points ahead of Sunderland in the regular season and dominated large portions of the final.Incredibly, the match-winner was Watson’s final appearance for his boyhood club, as he is set to join Brighton & Hove Albion. “It’s unbelievable – we’ll see each other in the Premier League next season,” he said. “I’ve been dreaming of this moment for weeks. It felt like fate when I came on.”Sunderland’s hopes had looked slim after Tyrese Campbell’s composed 25th-minute finish gave United the lead following a slick counter-attack set up by Gus Hamer. The first half was one-sided, with United nearly scoring early on through Kieffer Moore, only for keeper Anthony Patterson to pull off a superb save. Sunderland also lost Luke O’Nien to a dislocated shoulder, and narrowly escaped going 2-0 down when Harrison Burrows’ goal was ruled out for offside after a VAR check.Chris Wilder’s side appeared in control in the second half, but were rocked in the 76th minute when Eliezer Mayenda controlled the ball brilliantly and smashed a shot past Michael Cooper to level the match.With extra time looming, a costly mistake by Moore handed possession to Watson, who surged forward and etched his name into club history with the decisive goal.The result capped an extraordinary playoff journey for Sunderland, who had lost their final five league matches and narrowly edged past Coventry City in the semi-finals with a last-minute goal from Dan Ballard.The win also means 18-year-old Jobe Bellingham—brother of Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham—will play Premier League football next season, an experience his older sibling has yet to have.–IANSab/